This Aircraft Carrier Can Launch a Very Special Type of F-35 Fighter

[rangerrebew]

September 15, 2019

This Aircraft Carrier Can Launch a Very Special Type of F-35 Fighter

Flexibility is underrated.
by Sebastien Roblin

Key point: The new supersonic-capable F-35B Lightning II stealth jets entering service with the Marine Corps are far more capable of taking on fourth- and fifth-generation fighters and launching longer-range strikes. Combined with the F-35’s surveillance capabilities, this means future air wings on LHDs and LHAs will be far more versatile.

Were the USS America to cruise alongside the French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, the average Joe might struggle to distinguish their purposes. Both flat-tops measure longer than two-and-half football fields in length and carry jet fighters and helicopters.

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/aircraft-carrier-can-launch-very-special-type-f-35-fighter-79936

[PeteS in CA]

If USS America sailed with the Charles de Gaulle, its escort would consist of USN CGs and DGs and French tugboats.

Sounds like USS America is akin to a CVL, except with spacious maintenance area (WW2 CVLs were adapted from light cruiser hulls and had limited maintenance area and possibly limited ordnance storage space).

[skeeter]

Sounds like USS America is akin to a CVL, except with spacious maintenance area (WW2 CVLs were adapted from light cruiser hulls and had limited maintenance area and possibly limited ordnance storage space).

The article makes that same comparison. The big difference with previous HLA's is they now have high performance aircraft on board. Pretty significant - no need to risk an expensive super carrier in many cases but still remain nearly as militarily effective.

[PeteS in CA]

The article makes that same comparison. The big difference with previous HLA's is they now have high performance aircraft on board. Pretty significant - no need to risk an expensive super carrier in many cases but still remain nearly as militarily effective.

WW2 CVLs were an attempt to get more flight decks into the ocean faster, anticipating war in the Pacific and expecting the Essex class carriers to take a bit longer than they did (IIRC, USS Independence came into commission around the same time USS Essex did). Being adaptations and just a bit more than half the size of the Essexes the Independence class were less capable, but they certainly achieved the goal of having lots of flight decks on the ocean. Task Force 38/58 usually had on the order of 14 or 15 carriers.

This new America class is purpose-built and appear to have been designed to support F-35s (as well as Ospreys and helicopters). With the Wasp class, which does have a well deck, also being able to support F-35s, this does spread their capability across a lot more flight decks, with (apparently) lower cost than a full-sized Nimitz or Ford CVN. It also untethers the CVNs from support of Marine landing operations, a function WW2 escort carriers performed - flexibility.